Become a member
Membership of IUFRO is open to any institution concerned with the promotion, support or conduct of research related to forests, trees and forest products.
The effectiveness of forest-based value chains is closely linked to the knowledge and professional experience of the people working in the sector. With at least 33 million people employed in the primary forest sector worldwide, work and employment in forestry play a key role in enhancing sustainable rural livelihoods. However, the sector still faces deficits in decent work, gender inequalities, and uncertainties that have been further worsened by climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other crises. Addressing these employment challenges is essential for a well-functioning forest-based value chain. Accordingly, the IUFRO Working Party 4.05.04 fosters dialogue and collaboration, emphasizes methodological interactions, analyses the informal forest-related economy, addresses rights at work (particularly gender inequalities), and explores opportunities for green jobs to set the scene for decent work in the forest-related labour market.
In addition, beyond its role as a supplier of wood and non-wood forest products, the forest-based value chain contributes significantly to sustaining multifunctional forest services. And it’s precisely these that are forming an integral part of solving current challenges in politics and the bio- and circular economy in the light of climate change threats. The cascade usage paradigm of segregating high from low-value assortments enhances resource efficiency and CO2 storage capacities. This distinctive production system, coupled with multifunctional service provision, demands adaptive business models and digital hub solutions. That’s why this IUFRO Working Party explores the theory of value chain and emphasizes inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. The exploration includes examining the latent conflict between profit orientation and regional well-being. Additionally, efforts are directed towards developing innovative products for emerging markets, understanding downstream wood processing industries, and navigating the bifold scope to meet economic, societal, and cultural expectations:
Focal points for investigating employment dynamics in forestry and forest-based sectors:
Employment opportunities, green jobs, and decent work advancement in the forest-based sector.
Reasons and consequences of an informal forest-related economy and potential pathways to a just transition.
Rights at work, women, and gender inequalities in forest-related labour markets.
Scopes for analysing forest-based value chains:
Interrelations with the downstream wood processing industries and their suppliers.
The development of innovative products to enter new and emerging markets.
The latent conflict between profit orientation and regional well-being.
The bifold scope to meet the economic as well as societal and cultural expectations.
To shape a sustainable future for forestry, we would be pleased, if you could support our work in designing innovative forest-based value chains that integrate and promote decent employment conditions and meaningful work.
